Intro:

    Ever look at the price of network cables in your local retail store? What is that? A 6 foot cable for 10 bucks? And how many of you paid that? Ok, I'm not out to knock the person that needs one network cable, but what if you wanted to dabble in making cables for much cheaper than what you would pay retail? Well, you'll need a few things; cable, ends, a crimper, and possibly a tester. I'll be focusing on the crimper and tester of course. If that sounds remotely interesting, you can get the crimper and tester for really cheap. How about around $13 USD? Continue on please...


Notes/Specifications:

** Network Cable Tester and RJ-45 Crimping Tool Kit **

Installing a network requires the proper tool! Make and test a wide variety of network cables with this kit. This kit comes with RJ-45 Crimping Tool and 9V battery-operated network RJ-45 cable Continuity Tester. This tester also tests BNC network cables. This comes packaged in a plain box.

** Crimper Features **
* Made to crimp RJ-45 plugs
* All-steel handles (with padding) and crimp hammer
* Built-in cable cutter
* Built-in cable stripper with stop to ensure correct strip
length
* Model SS-354/07 (without keep-closed lock)

** Continuity Tester Features **
* Checks RJ-45 and BNC network cables
* Checks up to four pairs of conductors for continuity and correct polarity
* Some labels on the tester are in Chinese
* Model ST-45


Compatibility/Requirements/Disclosures:

** Crimper Requirements **

* Computer networking knowledge
* Supply of network cable and RJ-45 plugs


** Continuity Tester Requirements **

* Computer networking knowledge
* Assembled RJ-45 and/or BNC network cables to test
* 9V Battery (not included)

The tester:

    Packaged in a plain white box, is the tester and crimper. As you can see, no money was wasted on making this look like a lovely retail box.

(1) The box

    Below is the retail looking package for the tester. On the back is general information, and some warnings on how not to use the tester. If you like broken English, or Engrish, you'll appreciate the warning such as, "Do not change it on your mind." That almost makes my brain short circuit. Just what the hell does that mean, or possibly could mean? Enough about that...Whew...

(2) The retail package	(3) The back, scanned...

    Sliding the cardboard insert of of the packaging, you will see something that closely resembles the following 3 pictures. The main part of the tester has a wiring scheme, which is hard to decipher if you didn't already know how to wire the total of 8, (4 twisted pair) wires. The receiver (remote) part of the unit does come off the tester for testing cables, well, remotely. It also supports BNC cable which is what those cylindrical shaped receptors on both the (sender) main unit, and remote are. I personally haven't had to test a BNC cable, actually ever. The BNC networking is quite slow in comparison to 100 baseT which I'd say 98% of anyone that I know, or work with, uses.

    The back of the main unit houses your 'not included' 9 Volt battery. As long as you didn't leave your unit on, your battery should last a long time. What I didn't mention thus far is how you turn it on. If you look at the main unit, (picture 4) on the left side, is a small switch. You turn it on, and it stays on. Turn it off, and yeah...It's off. That would be very handy if you were trying to trace a wire. Just leave your main unit on the wire, and go to where your other end is. The lights will not light up if the main, and the receiver, (remote) are not hooked up to the same wire.

(4) Out of package	(5) Top	(6) Battery is found in me! Battery!

Testing a cable:

    Easy enough, plug your finished network cable into the two RJ-45 (network connectors) on the main unit and remote, and turn it on. The red power LED flashes on the main unit, and the wire pairs flash in succession on the remote. A green LED indicates the wire pairs are good. No light means no connection, and the red light indicates a wiring problem. I'll delve into the wiring in brief a bit further down the page.

(7) Testing...	(8) Bad wiring!

The crimper:

    FYI, the crimper is the GW-210N. In other words, this model, unlike the GW-210C, the crimper is held open by the spring. Not a big deal really, but keep in mind that the sharp cutting blades will be exposed. So I'd consider storing your crimper in the original packaging, put a rubber band around the handles when not in use, or get yourself a nice carrying case of some sort, that you can keep the crimper in its closed position. The stripping and cutting blades are very sharp. They are even replaceable, but I don't know off hand where to get such replacements. On my other metal "Radio Shack" Crimper, it did come with a metal wire that I can keep the handles closed with. I personally don't use the wire stripper part, nor the cutting part. I carry around a good pair of kitchen snips. The scissors are easier to work with, and generally won't cut the insulation of the inner wire pairs. That is one thing you don't want...A wiring short. Lastly, the back of the crimper packaging briefly walks you though, although not visually, how to make a wire.

(9) The package	(10) The back, scanned

A closer look at the crimper:

    In picture 11, you can see the crimper out of the packaging. Ok, the handle is blue, unlike the product thumbnail. I could really care less what the handle color is, but I'll take blue as a bonus. Look around the page here. Looks mighty blue huh?

    Anyway, near the top of the crimper is the stripping tool. It is a bit hard to use. For one, it's hard to get the wire past the blades. Two, it's very easy to cut the internal wires as well with any pressure. Which can be remedied as previously mentioned, I use scissors. Just below that, is where you insert your cable, with the RJ-45 end into for crimping. You'll see the other side of that in pictures 14 and 15.

(11) The crimper	(12) Top

    Moving lower, a handy feature is the cutter. Insert your paired wires into that, and a squeeze on the handles cuts all 8 of your wires with ease. In pictures 14 and 15, the teeth are what pushes your connectors into the wires in your RJ-45 end. Those of course make contact with your network card, or other network device. In picture 15 is the wire stop that I mentioned before when I talked about the wire stripper. I usually strip off about an inch myself when I'm preparing to make a cable. But, if you have the skill to use the stripper without cutting up the internal wiring pairs, that distance is enough for you to straighten out your wires and give them a quick straight cut in the cutter.

(13) Lower...	(14) Crimpovision	(15) Another angle of teeth and the wire stop

A small section on wiring:

    So how do you make a cable? Well, of course your need the cable. General use cable is available at some hardware stores of varying lengths. Generally they come as small as 100 feet, to say a 1000 ft spool in a variety of colors. You should be able to find cable at your local mom and pop computer place, or search online for some. Your 100 foot cable is probably going cost as much, or slightly more than a pre-made 6 foot cable at an office, or even a department store. See where it starts to get cheaper? So next you'll need RJ-45 ends. They too can probably be purchased for 25 cents each maybe, at your local computer repair place. Radio Shack has them, and so should a hardware store that sells bulk RJ-45 cable. Be prepared to pay much more though. Probably close to a buck a piece. Ouch huh? Looking around online I'm sure you can buy in bulk, like get a 50 pack bag, and that should set you back more than $30 or so dollars. To give your cable a more professional look, some use boots, or covers. I personally don't. That drives the cost of the cable up. We want to keep this cheap don't we?

(16) Strip!

    Above, the network cable stripped of its outer covering. Yeah, it's a bit out of focus, so feel free to skip it. Below is a general wiring chart that I found a couple years ago. The kind of cable you will probably be using is a straight through cable. In other words, the cable will have the same wires the same on both ends of the cable. The other type is called a crossed over, or cross over cable. One of the ends is wired differently. Those are generally used in connecting hubs together, or if you are too cheap to buy a hub, two computers can be hooked together for networking between the two network cards. In some cases, especially pre-Windows 2000, cross over cables didn't work all the time. That could be attributed to many things, such as, mis-configured network settings, and some network cards just plain didn't like the wiring that way. Both network cards have to manage all the packets sent back and forth, and in my experience really doesn't work reliably enough for me to personally recommend to this day. Before anyone starts flaming me on that one, save it please. It's just my opinion. My advice would be to buy a cheap hub or a switch. That gives you the option for further networking expansion.

    Below is the wiring scheme mentioned above in the "testing a cable section." There are at least two standards for network wiring. One is 586A and the other is 586B. I was taught to use the B designation. Although it took me a while for some odd reason to memorize it, it is pretty easy. The wires should be in the following order, Orange stripe, orange, green stripe, blue, blue stripe, green, brown stripe brown. When I say stripe, most of the cables I have worked with have a stripe of white to differentiate one wire of the pair. Take a peep at the below pic. It'll make sense. And to be perfectly honest, you can wire the cables anyway you want, just as long as they are the same on each side. The problem is though, that depending on the shielding, or lack there of, wiring your cable in other ways besides a standard will lead to cross talk. Your cables runs cannot be as long, and you will get flakey results. Also note that in the wiring below, you are looking at the bottom of the connector. It's the side with the teeth.

(17) How to do cables (courtesy of Linksys. I found it somewhere on their site...)

    Getting back to the cable, picture 18 is the wires stripped, and unraveled to be in the proper order. trim your wires to a proper length. I say that because the outer shield, should go past the other part of your RJ-45 end that holds the outer cover, and wires in place. That's the red arrow in picture 19. Also, your wires should go to the end, or close to the end of your RJ-45 end. You want the metal teeth on the end to insert into the wire, thus making a connection. That'll be the yellow arrow in picture 19. Take a peek!

(18) Stripped!	(19) Read the arrows!

    So that brings us back around to the crimper. Insert your end into the crimper, and press down firmly. I like to give it two good closings personally. A good thing to do also is look at your wires before you crimp it closed to make sure your wires are in the correct order. That saves you from having to cut the end off, and repeating the whole process again. Not to sound like a wimp, but depending on your personal finger strength, your fingers will get start to get sore squeezing and undoing the twisted pairs of wires at some point.

(20) Finished!

Summary:

    That just about brings this write up to an end. I would like to state that there are so many other aspects of network wires. There are different types, Cat5, Cat5e, Cat6...Outdoor cable, indoor cable, and I could go on and on. This isn't the time or place to do it, but I'm sure you can find out whatever you want to know on Google. Getting back on point, would this product be a good start to a future networking guru? Yes, and very inexpensively. Trust me in that you don't want to buy a cheap plastic crimper. I had one myself, and after about 50 ends crimped, it just had too much play in it, and the ends weren't getting crimped properly. That is quite a headache after the fact let me tell you. So the steel crimper is really a must.

    The basic tester is adequate though. Many others, start at around 60 bucks, have a few more features, maybe a carrying case, and even perhaps more remotes. And yes, that is JUST the tester for 60 smackers. Save yourself 50 bucks, and get a functional crimper and basic tester would be my advice. I don't do tons of networking myself, but something like this is inexpensive, and really can't be passed up for the value.


Pros:

   • Crimper and tester included. Could cost near $100 for these items together elsewhere.
   • As implied just above this, inexpensive.
   • Tests BNC cables as well.
   • Would make a great gift.
   • Good for service techs. If they lose it, you aren't out a fistful of dollars.
   • The crimpers are metal, and should last a lifetime.
   • Cutting blades are replaceable.


Cons:

   • Tester has only basic testing capability.
   • No battery included. Oh well...
   • No carrying case.
   • Previous network knowledge needed to use these optimally.
   • Hard to get the wire into the strippers.
   • Horrible English translations on packaging.

 

Closing:

    Just so you know, I personally bought this item. The direct link over at Jab-Tech is here by the way. I thought I'd give it a review since maybe some of you are in the, "wants to make cables," or even, "may not trust yourself to make a perfect cable every time." I suppose you could build your own network cable tester, but you'd have to have networking knowledge already, and the time to build one. I'd recommend though you suck it up, spend less than a 20 spot shipped, get your own tester, and a good quality metal crimper. You'll save lots of money in the end. Trust me. This is a awesome deal, and shouldn't be passed up while getting your other modding goodies. Thanks for coming by! Until next time...

 

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